Five more men have been charged in connection with the gangland murder of David `Noddy' Rice.

William Richard Thomas Freeman, 55, of Essex, has been charged with aiding and abetting Allan Foster and Steven Bevens, 39, with the murder of Mr Rice, 42, in South Shields last May.

Thomas was due to appear before South Tyneside magistrates today.

James Freeman, 50, of Canning Town, London, and Keith Harding, 45, also of Canning Town, have been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Craig Cole, 48, of St Stephen's Road, Bridlington, has been charged with conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and David Freeman, 51, of Brentwood, Essex, has been charged with possessing class-C drugs with intent to supply.

The men were arrested last September.

On May 24 last year Mr Rice, a father of seven, of St Vincent Street, South Shields, was shot nine times by two masked men at Marsden Bay, South Shields.

During the five-day trial, the court heard that Foster, 30, a major drug dealer from South Tyneside, flew to the North East to personally gun down Mr Rice before fleeing back to Spain. Police are still hunting him.

Blackburn, 52, of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, has been jailed for four years after admitting being an accessory to murder.

Police are still working to trace Foster and are appealing for anyone with any information about him to call 08456 043 043, ext 66333, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

James and David Freeman, Harding, and Cole, are due to appear before South Tyneside magistrates on April 10.